Premiere Props Now In Business Of Selling “Authenticated” Forgery, Along With Premiere Props COA? (Star Trek Mark English Communicator)

“Crew members and independent collectors have verified the authenticity of this item as a Mark English Forgery. Comes with a COA from Premiere Props”.  Wow.  I guess this is a new direction of this art market, filed under Sell At Any Cost: The Authenticated Fake Prop?  As noted in my wordy titled preview of Premiere Props upcoming regularly scheduled auction (see “Premiere Props ‘Hollywood Auction Extravaganza X’ Catalog Online, Television & Movie Prop and Costume Sale Event June 15 (Plus An OPB Editorial Plea For Authentication)“, their authentication and lot descriptions, in my personal opinion, left a lot to be desired.  I have no idea if anyone at Premiere Props reads the Original Prop Blog, but if “authenticating” a fake prop as fake and still offering it for sale is what they thought I had in mind with my public “plea for authentication”, they could not have been more wrong.  There is zero benefit to selling forgeries back into the marketplace, in my opinion, and the idea of including a COA “authenticating” a fake as a fake makes my head spin.  If the fake fooled Premiere Props, is it responsible for them to continue to facilitate the sale of a piece that is widely regarded as problematic for those of us who make efforts to keep such pieces out of the marketplace?  How about someone takes a hammer to it instead? Read more

Premiere Props ‘Hollywood Auction Extravaganza X’ Catalog Online, Television & Movie Prop and Costume Sale Event June 15 (Plus An OPB Editorial Plea For Authentication)

Lots for Premiere Props’ sale in mid-June have been listed online with online bidding partner iCollector, as part of their “Hollywood Extravaganza X”. The one-day auction is scheduled for June 15th. As with past auctions, the sale includes general memorabilia, though, as with their last sale, there is more interesting material with this event than they’ve had in some time, although much of it does not include any substantive information (or even vague information) about history and provenance in the lot descriptions (though to their credit, some do).  Premiere Props is such a frustrating company, on so many levels, but some of their auction descriptions (if you can even call them that) are beyond unacceptable.  I can’t imagine someone wanting a piece so badly as to take such a massive leap of faith in bidding on something in which no information whatsoever is provided about *why* it is authentic. Read more

Premiere Props ‘Hollywood Auction Extravaganza IX’ Catalog Online, Television & Movie Prop and Costume Sale Event March 2-3

About 350 lots of the promised “over 1,000 movie props and costumes” that will comprise the online catalog for the Premiere Props “Hollywood Auction Extravaganza IX” is now listed with online bidding partners iCollector and LiveAuctioneers. The two-day auction is scheduled for March 2nd and 3rd.  As with past auctions, the sale includes general memorabilia, though there is more interesting material with this event than they’ve had in some time, although much of it does not include any substantive information about history and provenance in the lot descriptions (though to their credit, some do). Read more

Julien’s Auctions ‘Icons and Idols’ (Hollywood & Marilyn Monroe, Sports & Rock ‘n Roll) Catalogs Online, Events to be Held in Beverly Hills December 1st-4th

Julien’s Auctions has today announced their next events, a pairing of two sales – “Hollywood & Marilyn Monroe” and “Sports & Rock ‘n Roll”, both under the “Icons and Idols” banner and each two-day sales, with the former scheduled for December 1st and 2nd and the latter for December 3rd and 4th.  Both live auction events will be at their Beverly Hills facility.

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Update on Fake ‘Star Wars’ Movie Prop Blaster, Message from Author of Letter of Provenance

This is an update to two stories published late last year about a replica Star Wars: Return of the Jedi “Biker Scout Blaster” which was marketed for sale as an original from the production.  The author of the original Letter of Provenance has written me today and granted permission to publish his initial e-mail for the benefit of the readers of the Original Prop Blog. Read more

Update from Owner of Fake ‘Star Wars’ Movie Prop Blaster, Claims Acquired from Les Hemstock “As Is”

Following a story published on the Original Prop Blog (see Fake ‘Star Wars’ Movie Prop Blaster Resurfaces on eBay with Elstree Props “Danziger Collection” Certificate of Authenticity), I have been contacted by the current owner who recently listed the prop for sale on eBay, who claims that the prop was previously acquired by him in a transaction with Les Hemstock.  Read more

Fake ‘Star Wars’ Movie Prop Blaster Resurfaces on eBay with Elstree Props “Danziger Collection” Certificate of Authenticity

A replica Star Wars: Return of the Jedi “Biker Scout Blaster”, which has been marketed as original and offered for sale in various venues, has recently resurfaced at auction on eBay.  Read more

Brandon Alinger, Prop Store of London – Movie Prop & Costume Showcase Video Shorts

During my trip to Burbank this past Tuesday, I made time for a short visit to meet with Brandon Alinger of the Prop Store of London at their Los Angeles facility.  While at their offices, I took the opportunity to shoot a few brief videos (approximately 1-2 minutes each) with Brandon to feature and provide some background on some of the more interesting showcase pieces on display. Read more

“Die Hard” Movie Prop Beretta, NYPD Badge Set, Zippo Lighter, Radio

This is the next in a series of more comprehensive profiles of the original props in my own collection, and the next pieces to be showcased are the Zippo lighter, Kenwood radio, and NYPD badge set from the John McTiernan  film “Die Hard” staring Bruce Willis as John McClane and the hero Beretta from “Die Hard With A Vengeance“. Read more

The Blade Runner Hero Deckard Blaster Movie Prop: Then & Now

As many are aware, one of the marquee pieces in the next Profiles in History auction is the hero pistol used by Harrison Ford as Rick Deckard in the Ridley Scott classic, Blade Runner.   Read more

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